Readers write

Recently Bruce Kranz stated that he would not vote for a pay raise for the Placer County supervisors. He says that the county revenues are below expectations, yet Placer county is the seventh wealthiest county in California.

The current supervisor pay is 53rd in the state. Now first of all, the supervisors have no business voting on their pay scale, that should be left to their employers, the citizens of Placer county. I believe that we deserve to choose our supervisors from the biggest pool of candidates and not just from the applicants that are retired and can work for $30,000 a year.

Mr. Kranz seeks to limit the competition for his job by keeping the pay low. Placer County is facing enormous changes in the future, large developments throughout the county will require more time and expertise and our supervisors should be paid a competitive wage so we can attract the best and the brightest to guide the process.

I call on all the citizens of Placer County to call or write their supervisors and demand a pay increase to be put on the next ballot. We, the citizens of Placer county, have the right to put this issue on the ballot, and it is wrong of Mr. Kranz and the other supervisors to use their power to keep it off the ballot. I also would like to see published in the paper the list of contributors to the campaigns of the supervisors and the amounts contributed. Full transparency in election campaigns is critical in helping the voters make informed decisions.

Willi Dodge

Tahoe City

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An excellent Tahoe Basin’s local citizen’s involvement occurred March 19 at the Historic Biltmore Hotel and Casino (1940s). A “Boulder Bay Forum” in Nevada was orchestrated by the developer Wittenberg et al, Boulder Bay LLC. The extremely well attended audience of approximately 150 primarily Boulder Bay local residents of Nevada as well as concerned Basin homeowners from West Shore to Kings Beach listened to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Community Enhancement Program proposed.

The common denominator is the projected massive housing development within Boulder Bay, Nevada as a “destination resort.” Homewood on the West Shore has the same grave situation ” Homewood Mountain Resort and JMA Ventures LLC, Chapman.

At the forum, the developer’s traffic consultant was sharply criticized for misinformation and lack of actual facts. He is also Homewood Mountain Resort’s traffic consultant. This consultant creatively suggested a reduction in vehicle miles traveled by using winter free bicycle share program.

TRPA is involved, thus required by law, codes and ordinances to protect Lake Tahoe, including the Basin. Local citizens should not be impressed by the developer’s dog-and-pony show of these destination resorts. The TRPA governing board has a “motto” to protect and preserve Lake Tahoe and its Basin. A change is necessary or Keep Tahoe Blue will be green due to the urbanization of Lake Tahoe. The combination of Nevada and California’s concerned citizens is very positive and must be vigilant against maneuvers by TRPA.

A viable opportunity exists with “We the people” of Nevada and California citizens to preserve our lake’s clarity by limiting overdevelopment. This may occur by communities’ vigorous direction to TRPA.

The Tahoe Basin has been studied and we realize we can provide a restored and preserved Lake Tahoe, but only if strictly enforced limits are achieved. Major Tahoe Basin environmental controls must provide preventive medicine for environmental sickness. No plastic surgery on Mother Nature please.

James W. Gearhart MD FACS

Homewood

Collectively, we have over 40 years of teaching for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. We would like to echo the comments of the guest columnist and fellow colleague (“What a difference a year makes, or not” March 27) that were recently published in the Sierra Sun. The writer’s comments and concerns regarding the past, present and future direction of our district give a clear, historical perspective that we have experienced in our 40 years. We fight each day to provide our students with an equitable and quality education for our students and it saddens us to have to take time from this to fight for a fair and equitable wage.

Karen Hutchinson

Barbara Robertson

Truckee

Recently we went to the Bar of America on Commercial Row for a benefit gathering for Art Franco, Truckee old timer and hot musician. Art and his buddies and other musicians played and we all danced our socks off. It was such a sweet reminder of 25 to 30 years ago when downtown was ours ” our hang out. Such a “family” reunion of those of us who have been here for many years and have spent many great hours in the old B of A rocking out and hanging out. I must give my heartfelt thanks to Ed of the B of A for opening up the place for us old rowdies. I am sure he sold lots of beverage.

I think, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have more events like this, like old times, during the “off” seasons. Pulling back the tables, opening up the old dance floor, meeting with old friends and taking back our town just for an evening here and there.